Jun 29, 2012

Vintage stores are underrated. And San Francisco is teeming with them. I recently set out on a vintage shopping expedition with my BFF Nicole, who is a professional photographer, videographer and editor in SF. This collaboration was her idea, and I was thrilled. Vintage shopping is SO much fun. It's like a treasure hunt, but one that's set back in time. In this video that Nicole shot and edited, I try on a bunch of cute retro dresses, spanning from the 50's-70's.

Jun 25, 2012

It's finally summer! And some of us are more excited about the opportunity to wear skimpy outfits than others. If you're feeling like you missed the boat on getting into bikini shape, but are also strapped for cash and don't want to pay an expensive gym membership, fear not! Here's how to get that great workout without a gym membership.

1. Get some home workout videos. The possibilities are endless here--kick boxing, yoga, pilates, barre method, p90x, zumba--whatever tickles your fancy. Get a group of friends together and have everyone buy one or two workout DVDs. Then you can all trade each month to keep your workouts fresh.

2. Go on a hike. Burn extra cals by conquering some big hills.

3. Keep an eye out on all the deal sites. Groupon, LivingSocial, Bloomspot, Google Offers, and Yelp all have deals on bootcamp, pilates classes, etc. I love grabbing these random deals because it's cheap and it switches up my workout routine.

5. Collect workout moves from your magazines. Cosmo and Women's Health always have some new ones in each issue. I like to cut them out and toss them in a folder. When I feel like mixing up my workout, I grab a bunch at random.

6. Explore on a run. Just don't get lost. Since I live in SF, there are so many little neighborhoods and streets to explore. I'll run in a new direction and just see what I can see. Spotting new restaurants you want to try or boutiques you want to stop in later helps take your mind off the fact that you're running.

7. Do gym "trials." Many gyms will offer a free week of gym membership and classes so you can try out their location. Give your local gyms a call or check online to see if they do this kind of promo.

8. If you have a friend that has a gym membership, some gyms (like 24 Hour Fitness) will give their members' friends a free week pass. And then you get to work out with a buddy, which is always more fun.

Jun 21, 2012

My boyfriend and I recently went on a camping trip with two of our friends from home, who are also a couple. It was like going on a double date at one of the world's seven wonders. Badass. Neither of us had been before and we had an amazing, awe-inspired, fun-filled trip. We also chowed down on tri-tip, smoked salmon, and cucumber/tomato/feta salad, all made by us at our campsite. Hey, you can take the girl out of the Gourmet Ghetto, but you can't take the Gourmet Ghetto out of the girl.

Amazingness aside, between the ticks we found on our shoes, tent, and selves, the heat rash, the rather large spider I found in my hair, the woman in the shower stall next to me who proceeded to pee and flood my shower stall, and the potentially bubonic plague infested squirrels who sneakily opened our tent's zippers and snuck in, I have come to one solid conclusion. I am a mothafuckin city girl.

Don't get me wrong, I love the outdoors and consider myself the adventurous type. I'm down for hiking, jumping off that 50 foot cliff into the ocean, night diving with giant manta rays, and swimming out into the ocean a couple miles (all the while on the look out for sharks) so I can swim with dolphins. And all this I've done with gusto. The difference between this trip and those instances being that at the end of the day, I like to have a clean shower to get off the sweat and grime and a good night's rest in an actual bed, so I'm ready to do it all again the next day. Shit, it doesn't need to be the four seasons. A tick-free motel would suit me just fine.

My boyfriend loves camping. Like really. So I know he was a bit on the disappointed side when it became apparent that I'm nothing like Annie Oakley, and probably much more like her hotter, better groomed step-sister, Aurora Oakley, who enjoys fine-dining and squeals over flash deals on Gilt.com. But he's such a doll. He told me he appreciated my effort and that next time we come to the Grand Canyon we can stay in a cushy lodge. And I told him, "Marry me."

All in all, I'm glad I got the full experience. The important thing was that we had an amazing time with friends. Between the 4 billion year old canyon and the infinite stars, you can't help but feel like a little speck of dust that somehow got lucky enough to experience this natural wonder. So without further adieu, a few choice pics from our GC trip.

Jun 14, 2012

I have a fairly ridiculous amount of keys. It takes 3 just to get into my apartment, another to check the mail, 2 to get into the office, I also have the keys to my parents' house, don't forget the car keys, and...Yeah it's a lot to keep track of. And we all know how much I love RCM gel manicures. So I gave my keys a little makeover! Not only does it make my keys a lot prettier, but now I don't take one and stick it in the wrong hole. That's totally what she said.

I chose shades ranging from dark red to sparkly pink and chose the darkest color for the key I use first when I come home, second darkest for the next door I walk through, and so on...(Yes, I realize I sound totes OCD. At least it's a pretty OCD.)

Don't worry if you don't have enough different shades of one color to pull this off. It'd also look great with random colors - neons or pastels would be a fab choice.

Last year fashion magazines were freaking out over "the mullet dress." And I was anything but sold. Actually, I was completely grossed out by the idea and thought they were hideous. I mean, it's hard to see past a name like that:

I've felt this way all the way up until last week. I was sitting on the sidewalk at a lovely SF cafe when I saw a chick glide by in a drop dead gorgeous--yep, mullet dress. It was so pretty that if I wasn't so busy stuffing my face with a falafel I would have stopped her and asked if I could snap a pic for WTFab. And recently, I've been seeing some fabulous versions of the mullet dress this summer. The best part? The world of fashion has wised up and ditched the grotsky name. They're popping up as "high-low" dresses and "fish-tail" dresses. Well doesn't that sound better and totally not dirty? They're popping up this summer, and I encourage you to give them a try. You can't help but feel a little goddessy in them because of the way they float as you walk by.

High-low dress I found at F21:

Saw these on Gilt, labeled as "fish tail." Again, so much more becoming:

Summer is quickly approaching, and if there's one article of clothing you should have in your fashion arsenal, it's floral shorts. They're absolutely adorable and they scream "Helloooooo summer!" These little dandies can be found at pretty much any store that's remotely worth your time. Sadly, not all the flowery shorts out there hit the mark. Case in point, these moderately unfortunate Anne Taylor Loft doozies:

But lucky you, I've gone ahead and picked out some of the cutest ones I've seen:

~Woodsy colors are easy to pair with neutral tops and shoes

~Not for the faint of heart. They're racy and lacy and I'm a fan.

~Wear a crop top with high-waist shorts for a sliver of skin. Cute, not crass.

Not sure what to wear with these cuties? Solid tops make it hard to go wrong. Avoid matchy-matchy. Neutrals are always a way to play it safe before you're ready to play with more colors. I like to pick a barely-there-color in the shorts and play it up. i.e., a bright blue solid top to go with the first (brown) shorts. Enjoy!

Jun 13, 2012

Marie Claire's March edition had a whole section dedicated to classic beach babe swimsuits. Here are a few pinup suits that caught my eye:

Love the fun and flirty leg cut~

The pink is so adorable~

Diggin this modern twist on a classic~

Fast forward a couple months, and I find Lauren Conrad's cute booty gliding through my copy of Glamour's May issue:

And I thought Hey! I recognize that suit! (This is a big deal because I'm horrible at recognizing people, streets, faces, etc). But where, oh where did I see it? After racking my brain I realized it was a fab green version of the pink suit in MC (above). Isn't LC just darling in it?? Unfortunately, I probably can't afford the lovely flowery Barneys pinup swimsuit, because I'm guessing "Price upon request" does not = $39.99. You win on that front, Tar-shey. So sad.

That's when ebay swooped in to save the day! A quick search brought up some great retro suits. Check out this seller's selection. I can't decide which one I like best!! What's your fav?

Still not sold on the pinup suits? Here are 5 reasons why you should own one, STAT:

1. They're a classic! And they'll never go out of style.

2. "Forgot" to hit the gym this morning? Really craving that extra hot dog at the beach? Don't even sweat it. Pinup suits offer a little more coverage.

3. They're flirty and sassy but they'll still keep it classy. I for one am getting tired of being flashed by girls' almost-visible-assholes in their floss bikinis. (In case you couldn't tell by the tone of that sentence, I should probably tell you that link isn't something you'll want to open when your boss is standing behind you).

One fabulous way I love to add a pop of color that stays with me all day is through nail polish. For me, having unshimmery toes is a faux pas. But I was never really into manis. Because usually I'd get a manicure and the damn polish would chip on my way out the salon door. Which was a cryin shame, because I love bright colors on my fingers, but not enough to waste the time or money on it, knowing it'd barely last a day.

So I was thrilled when I heard about gel manicures! Bright shimmery colors that last for at least 2 weeks without chipping?? I'm sold! $35 per manicure and an extra $5 to come in and have the salon remove it?? Suddenly I'm not so enthusiastic. After discovering the typical price for gel manis and weighing the pain-in-the-ass-to-worth-it ratio, I never went to get a gel mani. I just envied my friends' perfectly un-chipped gel manicures.

Imagine my delight when I heard about a DIY, at home, gel manicure kit by the name of Red Carpet Manicure! I speedily researched reviews online and found people raving about it. I splurged on the Pro Kit with the stronger LED light, figuring it'll pay for itself within 2 1/2 manicures. When my kit arrived, I tore open the box, barricaded myself in my bedroom (no boys allowed) and set to work laying on the perfect gel manicure.

And what was the verdict? Fabulous! As long as you follow the directions closely and carefully (wipe off any layers that may touch your cuticles/skin!), your gel mani should be good to go. My first gel mani lasted about 2 1/2 weeks, and I probably could have kept it a little longer, but I wanted to change to a new color! Here's my manicure at 2 weeks. (Color: Paparazzied. Oh yea, all of the colors have fun, fab, glam names):

One last note...after a few weeks when your gel mani starts to chip, resist the temptation to peel the polish off! This will screw up your nails in a major way! I will say that after doing a few months worth of gel manis back to back, my nails were a bit worse for the wear at first—a bit thin and weak. But, I took a break for a week, used the Revitalize that comes with the kit, and my nails are all back to normal and ready for a new color!